Gulf live rock hitchhiker help

[Tired]

Just see if it goes on those things and damages them. I doubt it can do much damage at a time, so you would have plenty of time to notice any nibbling and remove it.

Calcified macros, like the halimeda you have already, are pretty resistant to herbivores in general.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Florida Aquaculture Rock always has many surprisingly beautiful macro algae and sponges growing on it as in the case of yours which also shows codium, halmeda, red Proto-Caulerpa, porites and Red Razor Bryothamnion Macro Algae.
Live Rock needs plenty of flow, many of the organisms that live in and on the rock are filter feeding, so water flow is important. Low water flow is not ideal for the long term survival of most of the biodiversity on the rock. You also need to have adequate lighting, this is a bit trickier as not all of the organisms on the rock like bright light, so it may take some trial and error to get this correct.

 

[jkkgron2]

Florida Aquaculture Rock always has many surprisingly beautiful macro algae and sponges growing on it as in the case of yours which also shows codium, halmeda, red Proto-Caulerpa, porites and Red Razor Bryothamnion Macro Algae.
Live Rock needs plenty of flow, many of the organisms that live in and on the rock are filter feeding, so water flow is important. Low water flow is not ideal for the long term survival of most of the biodiversity on the rock. You also need to have adequate lighting, this is a bit trickier as not all of the organisms on the rock like bright light, so it may take some trial and error to get this correct.

Right now I’m using the fluval evo light for about 9-11 hours a day. I’m using the pump that came with the evo, along with a hydor koralia 240gph powerhead. Tomorrow I’ll be picking up the seachem phytoplankton, so that should help the filter feeders.

 

[jkkgron2]

Ok, I think the mollusk is nocturnal, because I haven’t caught it moving in the day but it’s moved overnight. I have no idea where it is right now, but it’s not on any corals or clams.

 

[jkkgron2]

What color is dead phytoplankton supposed to be? If it is dead, is it still safe? When I opened up the bottle (after shaking it) it was a dark brown color. Is it still safe?

 

[samnaz]

Could someone ID the things that I circled? I’m trying to figure out if they’re good or bad, and what care they need.

Siderastrea radians... last pic far left.

 

[HuduVudu]

What color is dead phytoplankton supposed to be? If it is dead, is it still safe? When I opened up the bottle (after shaking it) it was a dark brown color. Is it still safe?

Not fresh, but safe. Also it will be a good stop gap.

This is what the fresh stuff from my LFS looks like.

 

[jkkgron2]

Not fresh, but safe. Also it will be a good stop gap.

This is what the fresh stuff from my LFS looks like.

Ok, I’ll still use it then. I’m going to be ordering fresh, but I wanted to feed the bivalves ASAP. How do I feed the bivalves?

 

[HuduVudu]

Ok, I’ll still use it then. I’m going to be ordering fresh, but I wanted to feed the bivalves ASAP. How do I feed the bivalves?

LOL squirt the phyto into the tank with the syringe that you showed in the picture. 2 mls a day should be a good start. If start to see algae back down on the dose.

 

[Tired]

Squirt the algae in their general direction, preferably with the pumps off so it stays around them for a bit. Don't squirt it right on them or they might just close up from being disturbed.

 

[jkkgron2]

Squirt the algae in their general direction, preferably with the pumps off so it stays around them for a bit. Don't squirt it right on them or they might just close up from being disturbed.

I wish I would’ve seen this sooner, I added it straight to the tank. I also didn’t really squirt it in the big bivalves general direction, because I wanted to feed all the little bivalves too. I did 1.3 ml instead of 2, because I followed the dosing on the bottle. Is that ok, or should I add more?

 

[Tired]

I don't know about the amount, but dispersing is probably good if you have a lot to feed. You could always put the food around the biggest ones while the pumps are off, wait just a couple minutes, and then let it disperse around the tank with the pumps.

 

[jkkgron2]

I don't know about the amount, but dispersing is probably good if you have a lot to feed. You could always put the food around the biggest ones while the pumps are off, wait just a couple minutes, and then let it disperse around the tank with the pumps.

I don’t know how many bivalves I have, but there’s at least four large ones, and then some tiny ones so I do think dispersing is a good idea. But I’ll try doing what you suggested today, and see how it goes.

Another thing I wanted to ask was how do I know if a coral is alive, and if it’s opened up? I think the starlet coral opened up, and that dead coral skeleton is actually alive. I can’t get pictures of the starlet coral right now, because it’s to early to turn the lights on, but here’s a picture of the coral skeleton.

 

[jkkgron2]

HELP!!!! I just woke up and the giant bivalve is on the sand and it’s open! It’s foot is still on the rock, so is it dead? I feel so bad I hope it wasn’t the phytoplankton that killed it?

 

[Tired]

Definitely dead. The phytoplankton wouldn't have done that, it was probably already in bad enough shape to die regardless. Take it out and empty out whatever's in the shell, then put the shell back. The foot is fine to leave in, that will take a long time to decay.

It's probably a good idea to continue adding a small amount of phyto now and then, for the living filter-feeders.

The coral skeleton in your picture is alive, and is looking more like a cup coral. It will appreciate being fed small foods periodically, but doesn't need them to live. If the starlet coral is alive, it will show a sort of clearish-brown flesh over its skeleton, which will retract if disturbed.

 

[jkkgron2]

Definitely dead. The phytoplankton wouldn't have done that, it was probably already in bad enough shape to die regardless. Take it out and empty out whatever's in the shell, then put the shell back. The foot is fine to leave in, that will take a long time to decay.

It's probably a good idea to continue adding a small amount of phyto now and then, for the living filter-feeders.

The coral skeleton in your picture is alive, and is looking more like a cup coral. It will appreciate being fed small foods periodically, but doesn't need them to live. If the starlet coral is alive, it will show a sort of clearish-brown flesh over its skeleton, which will retract if disturbed.

Are you sure it wasn’t the phyto? I just found another dead clam. The starlet coral is alive, I think. It seems like the corals are liking the phyto, but all the clams died after I added it. I also found some corals I didn’t notice before.

Pics of most corals I’ve found (I think they’re all corals?)

 

[Tired]

It would be strange for phytoplankton to kill clams. Unless something was wrong with it? But I'd think more likely they just hit starvation at the same time, since they've presumably not been eating for the same time. Pretty common with live rock clams, if they've been in holding bins too long.

First pic looks like a clam. Second is a starlet coral. Third is probably a cup coral. Fourth is a sponge. I have one like that, and it grows very slowly, so it's harmless. Fifth is probably aiptasia, you'll want to kill that.

 

[jkkgron2]

It would be strange for phytoplankton to kill clams. Unless something was wrong with it? But I'd think more likely they just hit starvation at the same time, since they've presumably not been eating for the same time. Pretty common with live rock clams, if they've been in holding bins too long.

First pic looks like a clam. Second is a starlet coral. Third is probably a cup coral. Fourth is a sponge. I have one like that, and it grows very slowly, so it's harmless. Fifth is probably aiptasia, you'll want to kill that.

What type of clam is it? Because it’s near the aiptasia will I hurt the clam if I use aiptasia X?

 

[HuduVudu]

What type of clam is it? Because it’s near the aiptasia will I hurt the clam if I use aiptasia X?

You should be safe with Aptasia X, just be careful and don't get it on the clam. Turn of the pumps when you do it to help it not get blown all over.

 

[jkkgron2]

You should be safe with Aptasia X, just be careful and don't get it on the clam. Turn of the pumps when you do it to help it not get blown all over.

Will do I don’t have the aiptasia X yet, but I’ll use it right away once it comes.